San Antonio cited as second-fastest growing city

The Alamo City was the second-fastest growing large U.S. city during the first eight years of the 1990s, vaulting from 10th in size nationally to 8th place, the Census Bureau said in a report being issued today.

Only Phoenix grew at a pace more scorching than San Antonio's 14 percent growth rate, boasting a 21 percent hike.

"Cities don't seek to be the second fastest or even the fastest growing, but in our case it's good news and a reflection of things that have been happening here," said Joe Krier, president of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

Chief among those, Krier said, is a diversification of San Antonio's economy beyond its traditional reliance on the military. In recent decades, the city has developed a vibrant medical and biomedical economy and increased its tourism and convention business by leaps and bounds, he said.

"What we're seeing is the payoff from the transformation of this city's economy over the last 25 years," Krier said.

Two other Texas cities ranked among the top gainers in cities with populations of 1 million or more.

Houston ranked fourth in growth during the 1990s, with 8 percent, while Dallas posted a nearly 7 percent increase.

The 1990s also saw Texas edge out New York to become the nation's second largest state.